Holly MatkinBronx, NY – A New York police sergeant who died after collapsing inside a police department locker room last month succumbed to a drug overdose, according to a high-ranking law enforcement source.
New York Police Department (NYPD) Sergeant Ryan Kenny, 40, was inside the department’s 50th Precinct station house third-floor locker room when he collapsed on Aug. 14, according to the New York Post.
He was found unconscious and unresponsive at approximately 12:20 a.m., sources told the paper.
Sgt. Kenny was rushed to Allen Pavilion Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the New York Post reported.
Investigators initially believed Sgt. Kenny suffered a fatal heart attack, but have since learned he died from a drug overdose, a high-ranking NYPD source told the New York Post on Wednesday.
The source said Sgt. Kenny was injured while working in Queens year ago and that he may have developed an addiction to opiates, according to the paper.
The source further reported that investigators have found video evidence showing Sgt. Kenny buying fentanyl outside the station house, although the date of the purchase is unclear, the New York Post reported.
An NYPD spokesperson said the circumstances of the 19-year department veteran’s death are under internal review.
Sgt. Kenny’s wife, Laura, refused to comment on the situation, the New York Post reported.
A fundraising page established to help his family in the wake of their loss has raised over $32,000 so far.
“He worked tirelessly for his cops, always making sure they were well taken care of and prepared for the tasks ahead of them,” the page read. “He was a man known for his humorous character that left all who encountered him with endless stories of the man he was.”
In addition to his wife, Sgt. Kenny left behind his 11-year-old triplets, Alice, Liam, and Charlie.
He was laid to rest on Aug. 19, according to his obituary.
